How to identify natural opal
One of the most common questions asked by those who buy opal jewelry or even the opal stone itself is whether there are ways or signs that lead to how to know the natural opal stone. Well, this question naturally comes to your mind if you are in that situation or if you are a gem hobbyist and researcher in this field. The answer, in a simple way, there are several factors that can be verified to know whether the opal stone in front of you is natural or manufactured in the laboratory. Therefore, we advise you in the case of purchase to make sure of those factors that we will mention to you, and then if you want to be more sure that the stone is natural, you can send it to a reputable center to give you a certificate of the quality of the opal stone and confirm whether it is really original or synthetic. (We advise you, in case you are buying, to read the types of opal stone in order to increase your knowledge of the options available to you).
Check the country of origin
The majority of opals are extracted from Australia, with a percentage exceeding 537 %, the country that is the opal capital of the world. While it is at the top of the countries that produce high-quality synthetic and fake opals, Russia and China, where some workers in the jewelry trade are trying to offer them for sale on the basis that they are original stones. If you have an opal in front of you that you are about to buy, its source is not from Australia, then you should check it more carefully.
Characteristics of natural opal stone
Check Symmetry
If the opal is a natural stone, its dimensions, even after cutting and preparing, are not specified with a very high degree of accuracy. Bring a jeweler with a license to practice the profession to examine the stone before you buy it.
Look at the opal while it is exposed to a strong white light
Do not use fluorescent light bulbs, because they may appear more bumps than usual and thus give you the impression of additional colors. If an opal shows double layers of color, then this is a good indication that it is natural. Whereas, if you notice that opals only show color directly below the surface, then it may be a fake.
Check the price
As natural opals, even small sizes, cost more than $100. Whereas, if you see an opal jewelry store, prices are as low as thirty or forty dollars. Then you should know that what will be unusually low-priced opals will often be fake.
Look closely at the pattern)
The opals created in the laboratory reflect vibrant hues and a wide range of variations. This style is often complex and well-organized. Natural opal stone features patterns that are more random and contrasted.
Hardness Test
This test is carried out using specific instruments that are normally only available to jewellery professionals, as opal stone has a hardness estimated between 5.5 and 6 degrees on the Mohs scale of hardness.
